Report | Barnet FC 3-1 Cambridge United

9 September 2017

A Mauro Vilhete brace and another goal for Shaq Coulthirst secured victory in a tough match

The match got off to a bad start for the Bees with Deadline Day signing Dave Tarpey having to be stretchered off after landing awkwardly on his knee. Rossi Eames confirmed after the match he will go for a scan on Monday.

Twelve minutes in, good build up play resulted in Ricardo Santos seeing a shot deflected just wide of the post. Vilhete’s corner shortly after found Charlie Clough rising highest but his header was saved comfortably by Forde.

Barnet continued to put pressure on the Cambridge goal, chances for Nelson and Akpa Akpro both came close but didn’t break the deadlock.

That was broken in the 39th minute. Great play down the left saw Campbell-Ryce lay off Coulthirst who dinked a ball into the box. Mauro Vilhete rose highest to head the ball home and give Barnet the lead heading into the break.

Barnet doubled their lead shortly after the hour mark. It followed a consistent spell of pressure from Cambridge, the Bees managed to break away. Jack Taylor slipped Shaq Coulthirst through who, fresh off of a hat-trick the previous weekend, managed to bury it low into the far corner.

This forced Cambridge head coach Shaun Derry into a triple change, including Medy Elito who’s free kick in the 70th minute found skipper Leon Legge who headed past Craig Ross to pull a goal back.

Another one of those substitutes, Ade Azeez, soon picked up an injury to his knee and Cambridge were forced to play with 10 men for the remainder.

The match then became very open, Cambridge would attack before Barnet went up the other end and did likewise.

With 10 minutes to go, Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro fired over the bar before Shaq Coulthirst raced down on goal only to put his shot wide under pressure for the Cambridge defenders.

The fourth official added 5 minutes stoppage time and after successive corners for Cambridge, Barnet managed to clear the ball through Jean-Louis Akpa Akpro.

He headed for the corner before turning back and dribbling his way into the box, passing to Mauro Vilhete who had time and space to fire high into the roof of the net and secure the three points for the Bees.